'He's stolen these people's embryos': Couples sue SoCal fertility doctor
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For years, Dr.Brian Acacio’s name had considerable cachet among California couples who were trying to start a family.
Acacio boasted having some of the highest IVF success rates in Southern California.His reviews were stellar.
Other doctors recommended him.And testimonials from former patients told stories of dreams come true after years of trying for a child.What his patients didn’t know, according to legal filings, is that Acacio’s medical license was suspended by the California Medical Board in December following accusations that he was using cocaine and board-ordered psychological testing that revealed a mental condition that impaired his ability to practice medicine.
Twenty-six couples from across California filed a civil lawsuit in Orange County Superior Court on Tuesday alleging that Acacio failed to inform them of his license suspension, continued to practice medicine and moved their embryos without consent from his facility in Laguna Niguel to his office in Bakersfield.Many patients who spent thousands of dollars for fertility treatments discovered their embryos had been moved only when they tried to schedule a transfer, the medical procedure that is the final step in the IVF process.
Others learned of the relocation through social media or from other patients, said attorney Benjamin Ikuta, who is representing the couples.“Our first and most important goal is the lawful, expeditious but safe transfer of these embryos back to where they belong,” Ikuta said.
“He’s stolen these people’s embryos.He’s held their families essentially hostage, and we want answers.” Acacio could not immediately be reached for comment.
A message left at his office in Bakersfield was not returned.Monique Santos and her husband, Allen, tried unsuccessfully to start a family for years before they sought Acacio’s help.
Last August, Santos underwent egg retrieval that r...